Bus negotiations set for Monday
| • | Schools plan for bus strike |
By Mike Gordon
Advertiser Staff Writer
Labor talks may take negotiators right to the wire when the union representing city bus workers and their employer meet next Monday in a last-ditch effort to prevent a strike.
Hawai'i Teamsters and Allied Workers Local 996, which represents 1,300 city bus workers, plans to meet with O'ahu Transit Services Monday afternoon, just hours before its 12:01 a.m. Aug. 26 strike deadline, said Christopher Boucher, a union spokesman.
But OTS, which yesterday said the Monday meeting is "95 percent" certain, also noted that the federal mediator involved in the negotiations would weigh in on talks within the next week.
"The mediator will not let the deadline pass without requiring discussions," said Marilyn Dicus, an OTS spokeswoman. "The mediator has told us that she will require additional talks. No one is in favor of a strike, including the mediator. It is her responsibility to keep the negotiations going."
Negotiations broke off Thursday amid accusations from both sides that bargaining was not being done in good faith.
The union's negotiating committee plans to meet tomorrow evening to discuss all issues and come up with a streamlined, final offer that will be given to the federal mediator, Boucher said.
Union president Mel Kahele has asked bus workers to attend an informational meeting at 6 p.m. Friday at the union hall so that "all members can brace themselves for a strike." About 700 people are expected to show up.
Boucher said yesterday that Kahele will probably issue a 72-hour notice at 12:01 a.m. Saturday. Boucher said union members are calling regularly to see what they can do to help.
"They're ready," he said.
The union opposes service cuts of 100,000 hours per year because they could mean layoffs of 40 workers. On Thursday, the company, in its latest offer, promised that "operator layoffs are no longer under consideration for the immediate future."
But the union rejected the proposal, saying it didn't say how long the no-layoff period would last.
Other unresolved issues include wages, health benefits, pension and sick leave.
